Kuala Lumpur or as the city people call it ‘kota rayaku’ is the best place for Malaysians to try their luck in making a better life for themselves.
IF they are lucky enough.
As in every big city, there will be some of those who are unfortunate enough to have tried their best but ended up on the streets. Some had been chased away by their family members while others had just given up on their dreams.
It was a chilly Friday night. The wind was blowing and the trees were dancing as if they are celebrating the upcoming weekend.
As I was driving down the empty street in Pudu, it’s hard not to notice these people -- down on their luck.
Some were already sleeping on the staircase of Kota Raya while others were still wandering around, perhaps to find food or to seek the company of their fellow homeless friend.
No one knows their real story unless they tell you themselves, but from my experience, the stories keep on changing.
“Oh, my sister chased me away saying I was a bad seed and that I’m a disgrace to the family. I tried working but I got fired in a week and it left me with no choice but to sleep here on the street,” said one scraggy young man when I first met him two years ago.
A couple of weeks ago I met the same young man at the staircase of Maybank Tower. He didn’t recognise me. So I asked him again why he’s on the streets. This time it was a different story.
“I’m ill and my family are ashamed of me so they asked me to leave. I can’t work due to my illness so I don’t have a choice but to stay on the streets,” he said.
When asked about his illness, he simply shook his head and walked away.
On that night, I was back on the streets with a small group of working ladies living around the Klang Valley who made it a point to provide food every Thursday and Friday for the homeless to survive in the city. It was a cold wet night but you could feel the warmth of love.
In the cold wet weather, the ladies gathered in a parking lot on Jalan Melaka, situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. A group of ladies providing a home cooked meal for the homeless.
Instead of distributing packed meals like what other normal soup kitchens do, they provide hot meals and let the homeless people pick their own food, just like a buffet. They would then sit with this group and watch a movie or two together.
"Why not let them feel like they are at home for just a few hours instead of just letting them eat alone by on a dirty alley?” said one of the ladies.
They brought a projector and a big screen to the location for the people to watch a movie while enjoying their meal. A truly home experience for a few hours! But God had other plans for them.
It was raining and so, there will be no movie for the night! Sigh. Just like what John Lennon sang to his son: "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans".
I asked the ladies of their plans now. One of them replied: “We don’t have a choice but to pack the food and distribute them to the homeless."
Without wasting any more time, they started packing the rice, chicken curry, vegetables and salted egg into dozens of polystyrene boxes.
At 9.40pm, they all went out in the rain. Freezing and shaking, they built their courage to walk in the rain. It was all in the name of humanity.
Some had umbrellas, as for the rest, they just walked unsheltered in the rain and embraced the water falling down on their faces.
The rain was pouring as if it came straight from a shower hose. The rainwater danced on the roof of cars parked along the road and I could hear murmuring of the rain from their windows. It sounded like the buzzing of angry bees.
I wondered how the homeless survived the cold weather. You could actually feel the wind creeping into your bones.
On the footstep of an electrical shop, an old man in his 50s or 60s was sleeping. He wasn’t shivering in the unfriendly weather. Neither was he a sweater or had a blanket to cover himself from the cold wind. I offered him the food I brought with me.
“How are you uncle? Aren’t you cold?” I asked him.
I noticed his eyes. They were dark brown and glittering as if loneliness was his best friend.
“A little, but I’m already used to it. Thank you for the food," he said while raising his grey eyebrows a little and removed his stare from my face and down to the floor.
I saw him raising his hand into the air to say his prayer before eating.
What was his story? Was he married? What about the children? Did he have any? Family? Brothers or sisters? I didn’t have the heart to ask him.
As he opened the packaged food, he leant against the wall of the shop, cross legged and started to touch his food with his dirty fingernails.
He had a nice blue t-shirt, covered by a shabby looking olive green jacket. The jacket was all he could use to keep him warm. No blanket, no sweater.
As I walked on, I saw two men running, soaking wet while trying to find shelter at one of the nearest shops. As they sought refuge at one of the closed premises, I noticed one of them reaching into his pocket and taking out a mobile phone.
I switched my glance and continued walking. It was already past midnight and the ladies had accomplished their mission.
Maybe some of us wondered why these ladies bothered to spend their time and money on someone who is not related to them. Why are there non-profit groups who would go out almost every night to provide food for the homeless?
The answer is simple; LOVE. It's that single act of humanity that drives them to reach out to the unfortunate folks and try their hardest to understand them. They helped because they care.
As the saying goes, one helping hand can make all the difference in the world. As one of the ladies described it: “It is a humbling experience”.
Arfa Yunus
Sun Jul 06 2014
As in every big city, there are those who are unfortunate enough to end up on the streets, with no where to go. -File Photo
KPT salur bantuan pendidikan, pengecualian yuran IPT anak mangsa nahas helikopter
KPT melalui PTPTN akan menyalurkan sebanyak RM1,000 seorang kepada 21 anak mangsa nahas dua helikopter yang terhempas di Lumut.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Kapal sedia belayar Jumaat ini - FFC
FFC mengesahkan sudah melengkapkan segala keperluan bagi membolehkan misi pelayaran Jumaat ini.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Semua keperluan sudah dilengkapkan, kapal sedia belayar Jumaat ini - FFC
Ia termasuk keperluan teknikal dan 'crewing' yang merujuk kepada proses menyediakan dan menguruskan ahli kru.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Ideologi Nelson Mandela wajar dicontohi dalam misi capai keamanan - Cucu
Menurut Manlda Mandela, datuknya pencinta keamanan dan bukan seorang pendendam walaupun selepas berjaya mengalahkan rejim apartheid.
Kontroversi UM: Bukan untuk sekat kebebasan universiti - Zambry
Kebebasan yang diberi perlu mengambil kira polisi serta pendirian kerajaan di samping sensitiviti masyarakat dan majoriti rakyat.
Pelan strategik pendigitalan akan dikemaskinikan selari transformasi digital - Wilson
Pelan strategik pendigitalan akan dikemaskinikan selari dengan transformasi digital, kata Timbalan Menteri Digital Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong.
Kekejaman zionis: Gaza lepasi ambang kebuluran enam minggu akan datang - WFP
Semenanjung Gaza bakal melepasi ambang kebuluran iaitu ketidakamanan makanan, kekurangan zat makanan dan kematian.
Kekejaman zionis: Halalkan penempatan haram di Tebing Barat berbahaya - A.S
Membenarkan penempatan haram di Tebing Barat akan menjadi tindakan berbahaya dan melulu.
JDT lancar jersi baharu bagi musim 2024
Jersi berwarna biru dan merah untuk beraksi di gelanggang keramat mereka manakala jersi berwarna putih untuk perlawanan di gelanggang lawan.
Kekejaman zionis: Israel langgar undang-undang antarabangsa - Badan pemantau
Sebuah kumpulan pemerhati dan pemantau berkata, Israel telah melanggar undang-undang antarabangsa dan hak asasi manusia di Gaza.
Hari Bumi 2021: Urus lebihan makanan dengan bijak
Pihak terlibat boleh lebih kreatif dalam menggerakkan kempen sehingga ia mampu memberi impak besar kepada masayarakat dan juga alam sekitar.
COVID-19: Domino's, Food Panda, antara yang laksanakan "Zero Contact"
Dominos Pizza mengumumkan semua perkhidmatan penghantaran mereka menggunakan konsep 'Zero Contact' atau kontak sifar.
Pusat dobi layan diri tidak dibenarkan beroperasi
Turut tidak dibenarkan beroperasi, pasar malam dan pasar tani sepanjang Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan bagi mengelakkan orang ramai berkumpul
Rakyat negara ini terlalu miskin sehingga sanggup makan 'kek lumpur'?
Benarkah keadaan rakyat Haiti terlalu memilukan sehingga dilaporkan ada kalangan mereka yang terpaksa makan lumpur?
Sharing mistaken for submitting
One of the beauties of calling ourselves Malaysians is not just its array of scrumptious food we can take comfort in devouring them at ease.
Restoran daun pisang pulih akhlak remaja berisiko
Masala Wheels yang menggunakan model keusahawanan sosial bagi memberikan kehidupan baharu kepada golongan remaja berisiko.
Climate change in Malaysia and what it means for us
The worlds climate is changing for the worse, and humans are responsible for that. Lets dive into a touch of science to make sense of this.
"Saya punya lagi 'besar' dan berfungsi!"- Trump tempelak Kim Jong Un
Trump menulis tweet sebagai balasan kepada pengisytiharan Kim pada awal minggu ini bahawa dia mempunyai butang untuk senjata nuklear di atas meja.
Sarapan coklat gelap mungkin baik untuk anda - kajian
Laporan Food Business News menyebut kajian berkenaan disokong hasil penyelidikan di Syracuse University yang menunjukkan coklat gelap memberi manfaat kepada otak dari segi daya ingatan dan fokus.